DIY Info
Ready, set, roll...
getting started
with rollers
Rollers are the ideal way to paint a large area quickly
and get a professional result. Painting with a roller is
fast and easy.
Always use good, well cleaned equipment. Good quality rollers hold more
paint and give a better finish than inexpensive rollers. If you are unsure
as to whether you are using the right roller, check the information on the
Resene roller stand or ask staff at your local Resene ColorShop or Reseller
- they can recommend the best roller for the paint you are using and the
surface you are painting.
There are many different
types of roller sleeves
available. Resene and PAL
(Paint Aids Ltd) have worked
together to match rollers
to specific Resene products
and areas of use. A unique
numbering system and in-store
guides are designed to make it
easier for you to select the right
roller sleeve.
The most popular DIY roller sleeves
are available in three sizes. The larger
230mm is the most popular and is
used for larger areas, including most
walls and ceilings.
The 150mm sleeve can also be used on
walls and ceilings but is most suited to
smaller surfaces, such as interior doors and
cupboards, as well as fencing.
Roll using a
‘W’ pattern
The 100mm long reach rollers are made using the same fabric
but do not hold as much paint as the other sleeves as they have a
reduced total surface area. They are designed for cupboards, doors
and hard to reach areas, such as inside cupboards and shelving.
Be prepared! Have everything you need ready before you start
applying paint. Work steadily. Don’t rush and don’t roll fast with a
loaded roller - unless you want to be a spray painter!
Rinse new rollers in water (for waterborne paints) or turps (for
solventborne paints) to remove any loose fibres or dust before use.
If your roller handle has been used before, place a drop of oil on the
roller handle bearings (i.e. the two plastic end caps) - it will make
painting much easier.
When using waterborne paints, lightly dampen the roller sleeve
before use. Ensure excess water is removed. It should be slightly
damp rather than wet to touch.
Make sure your roller tray is clean. Tip the paint into the tray to the
paint level shown. If you overfill the tray, loading the roller is more
difficult and spillages are more likely. Once you’ve got the right
amount of paint in the tray, roll the roller into the paint to
saturate all the fabric.
Use the ribbed section of the paint tray to squeeze out the excess paint
and ensure your roller gets an equal distribution of paint. Repeat this
process several times to ‘work’ the paint into the roller. This will make
application easier and more consistent.
When painting walls and ceilings, we recommend the use of a quality
extension handle. The more painting you have planned (including future
projects) or the larger your current project, the better the extension handle
you should select.
A simple wooden handle will suffice for a small one-off project, however
a quality extension handle such as the Unipro 1.2m pole, will help you
achieve a faster and more professional finish.
Application using a roller
Rollers are used to paint many substrates from interior walls and
ceilings through to panel doors, shelving and kitchen cupboards. They
are used to apply waterproof coatings to concrete and planters and for
staining and fences.
Painting an interior wall is the most common painting project for DIY
painters and the following has been taken from the project sheet
for applying Resene SpaceCote. Other project sheets and videos
for painting ceilings and exterior plaster are available free online
at www.resene.com/videos.
› Paint the edges using a brush you are comfortable with –
we recommend the 50mm Legend cutting-in brush. Paint
40mm to 50mm out from the edges.
› As a rule the more confident and experienced you are
the bigger the brush you could select. Bigger brushes
hold more paint and are quicker.
› Now load the brush with paint. Hold the brush well
down the handle as this gives better control.
› Wipe the leading edge of the brush for more accuracy.
› Cut-in one wall at a time – painting all edges, corners
and around light switches etc.
› Start with the corner and bring the line of the paint out
from it to make rolling easier.
› You can work either left to right or vice versa – depending
on what is more comfortable. Begin each brushstroke about
100mm along from the end of the previous section, slightly
away from the edge itself and work the paint back towards
the paint’s wet edge and then back along the edge.
› Once you have finished cutting-in, roll the excess paint off
the roller and attach the extension handle. The extension
handle can make the job much easier.
› With the roller loaded with paint lay it carefully against the wall.
› Roll in an upwards direction first, moving across the wall area in a
rough ‘W’ pattern.
› Aim to complete one square metre with each roller load, spreading the
paint as evenly as possible.
› If you use a 230mm roller sleeve more area will be covered with each
roller load than if the smaller 150mm roller is used.
› Invert the roller and run it as close to the leading edge of the skirting
board and corners as practical.
› Once you have covered approximately four square metres you will
need to lay-off the painted area to achieve an even consistent finish.
› To lay-off first ensure the roller sleeve is not fully loaded with paint.
Using only light pressure, lay the roller approx 300 millimetres above
the skirting board, now slowly roll up towards the scotia – getting as
close as practical to it.
› Lightly roll back towards the skirting board but
pull the roller away from the wall about 200mm
above the skirting board.
› Repeat the process overlapping the area just
completed by approx quarter to a half of the
roller length.
› Reload your roller and move onto the next
section of the wall repeating the earlier steps.
› Adjust
the roller angle to get as close as
practical to the edges of corners and around
door and window frames.
› Allow a minimum of two hours to
dry and apply a second coat.
› Ensure the room has good
ventilation and warmth to
ensure the paint cures well.
Laying-off: Let the
weight of the roller
run down the wall
View the how to videos on the Resene website, www.resene.com/videos.
Rolling ceilings
Follow steps as for walls, finishing off along the line of light from windows.
View the Resene how to video and project sheet on painting ceilings at
www.resene.com/videos.
Roller care
›
If you wish to take a break, make sure you stop painting at a natural
break in the wall or ceiling, such as a corner. Submerge the roller head
in the paint that is in your roller tray, then put a plastic bag around
the entire roller tray and seal it. This will keep your roller wet ready
for painting when you have finished your break, and it will save you
unnecessarily washing your roller.
Wrap roller and tray in plastic bag and seal
ash rollers and trays immediately after you’ve finished painting.
› W
When the job is finished roll out as much excess paint from the sleeve
as possible and immerse in a bucket of water working through the pile
with your fingers. Repeat this process in successive buckets of water
until clean and dry the sleeve naturally. Dispose of the soiled water in
the garden, not the drain. You would normally discard foam sleeves
after applying solventborne paints as they are time consuming and
expensive to clean.
› Once clean, store roller sleeves upright to avoid flattening the pile.
General advice
Resene paint labels carry full instructions on surface preparation and advice
on paint application. Please read these instructions carefully before
commencing work. Always stir the paint thoroughly before use. Contact
your local Resene ColorShop or Reseller if you need further advice.
See the Resene project sheets and application videos, available free online at
www.resene.com/videos, for more information for your painting project.
For ideas, inspiration and instructions:
In Australia:
Call 1800 738 383
visit www.resene.com.au
or email us at [email protected]
In New Zealand:
Call 0800 RESENE (737 363)
visit www.resene.co.nz
or email us at [email protected]
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